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Which Popular Fantasy Series Should You Read FIRST?

GriffinCooperFantasy

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Which popular fantasy series should you read FIRST?

There are a ton of wonderful, beloved fantasy series out there right now. It's a pretty great problem to have, but it can also be a bit overwhelming. So, today, I want to discuss a handful of the most popular current fantasy series and help YOU decide which one should be your next read!

Note: Apologies if the audio gets worse about halfway through. There was a glitch in the matrix. I'm really trying to improve my audio/video quality, but it seems to be one step forward two steps back.

00:00 - Intro
01:02 - The Cosmere
04:13 - The First Law
06:06 - The Empyrean
08:02 - Shepherd King Duology
09:37 - The Realm of the Elderlings
12:20 - Dungeon Crawler Carl
14:26 - Shadow of the Leviathan (Ana & Din Mysteries)
16:46 - Red Rising
18:55 - Green Bone Saga
21:08 - Hierarchy
22:57 - Outro

And if you like listening to me ramble about fantasy books, here are a few more places where I do so!

TikTok - @GriffinCooperFantasy
Instagram - @GriffinCooperFantasy
Twitter - @GriffReadsBooks

20 Comments

@GriffinCooperFantasy Creator 10 days ago Pinned

As always, sorry about the audio quality my friends. I have two mics, and they both suck. And to make matters worse, the audio got messed up halfway through this video, so the 2nd half especially is not great. I have officially decided that I will be investing in a better mic as soon as I can afford it - I am very open to suggestions on quality mics for a reasonable price!

@joujoureads 10 days ago

This was great and I so appreciate you having all sorts of sub genre's of fantasy for any type of reader. Subscribed!

@JoeIdol 11 days ago

DCC series got me back into reading. Easy to pick up and laugh. Still my go to when I need a break from the more epic fantasy series from other authors.

@ericroush5359 10 days ago

Dungeon Crawler Carl is propulsive reading, more nuanced in plot and tone than I expected.

@rockinvegan1765 10 days ago

I am into the first 50 pages of "The Balde Itself" and it is amazing so far. I want to read all 10 books of this series right after another. Thanks for the great video!

@ChanelKeyvan 10 days ago

Incredible breakdown! You manage to fit so much information into one video. This is so helpful!

@chrisroberts5355 5 days ago

The First Law. Utterly Brilliant!

@zolloo3 10 days ago

I just stared stormlight archive and im loving it!

@stavrosmavrikas5341 6 days ago

I actually just finished the red rising trilogy yesterday, and tonight i unwrapped the First Law box set waiting in the corner for me 😊. I must be in for a wild ride!
First law is particularly important for me, as i expect it to help me with my writing, especially with character study.

@kenmcelroy5010 5 days ago

I like to read a "Dungeon Crawler Carl" book...in-between the endless 1,100-page fantasy books.... with so many unusual names you need a score card. Not that they aren't great. But it's a fun, quick read...and you don't have to think that hard.

@jefftucker9225 10 days ago

I'm on book 8, of Dungeon Crawler Carl, I find them easy to read and have a lot of laugh out loud moments

@eikofarron6364 10 days ago

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy by Tad Williams

@ryanb7186 10 days ago

I definitely recommend Dungeon Crawler Carl and Red Rising, especially if you are attuned to the inequities of our own world. I read a couple of Sanderson's books, but i was not a fan of his writing. Of what I have not read from this list, I will probably try Robin Hobb next, probably just the Farseer Trilogy to start--although if you think one of her other trilogies or the quartet is better, then I am willing to entertain an argument as to why.

@123darkdeal 10 days ago

I started with the Sun Eater series because Empire of Silence was the first I found at Half Price Books.

@kristianrother 11 days ago

Missing one of the greatest series of all time: Discworld. Pick up Guards! Guards! and go with the City Watch books (Men at Arms would be next). Reading experience: Funny :D

@BookBaggedReads 9 days ago

Honest its different for everyone. I'd suggest red rising to many. Its not too long and easy to get into.

@justposi 10 days ago

If you dont want your characters FROWNING every 5 seconds stay away from Mistborn Trilogy lol

@robertsiemon410 10 days ago (edited)

#1: dcc. I highly recommend it. I read 1-7 in 3 months last year. Book 8 took me considerably longer do to its length.
#2: will of the many. Book 1 of hierarchy is great. But it has a lot of paralells to red rising & golden sun. So I'd highly recommend reading it before hand. So that rr & g.s. doesn't get stuck in your head as you read parts that make you think of it. Very good series tho. Miles better than rr.
#3: storm light. Man it's a long read. As each book is 600-to 800 pages, with the 5th book being a little over 1k. (That 1 took me close to 2 months to finish) i would love to reread mystborn tho.

I wouldn't recommend red rising to anyone. Book 1 the first 50 pages were complete ass. It wasn't until about the 70th-75th pages where things get a little interesting. But then that falls apart with a boring single person point of view when it gets to the academy. (This is why "will of the many" is better). When this story really needed to show off many other ppls points of view, & parts of story. It is too streamlined. When there is so much happening, but most of it just goes ignored, or unshown. Which is a problem that happens throughout the entire 3 books for the trilogy.

Honorable mention. I started jade city. I didn't get more than maybe 1/3 of the way in. Urban fantasy is just weird.

@dracul74 10 days ago

I am not a First Law fan. Have always thought it felt like WWF fantasy... Logan being Hulk Hogan. Out of this bunch would pick Realm of Elderlings as best option as there are multiple good series inside, but Red Rising is most apporachable.